Only Human Too
by ibannah
Summary: After the quarrel Noctis had with his closest friends on the train bound for Tenebrae, he separated himself from the group, choosing to spend the rest of the train journey alone. While he was lost in thoughts, a certain chancellor gave him a surprise visit. And in the absence of his Crownsguards, he was taken away. -Brief non-con themes but focus is on rape recovery. No romance.
1. The King's Shields

**Note (** ***SPOILER*):**

Ignis is not blind in this fic :)

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The King's Shields**

"For Six's sake…please…PLEASE just be safe…" Prompto finally broke the silence, his quaking voice, laced with desperation as he clenched his fists tightly, on the verge of tears.

Ignis and Gladio stopped in their tracks, taking a while to digest those words as it struck a chord in them before they both turned to look at him.

Before this, there was this strong hope and unwavering determination that could keep them going. They stubbornly hung onto that, convincing themselves that they had never failed in their duties and that this time, they will overcome it too, like always.

But now, that fire has dimmed.

Ignis opened his mouth to say something in response, something that could light up that fire of hope in them again but closed them almost immediately as a wave of emotions suddenly engulfed him, turning away to hide his face. He couldn't find the right words and he knows that he didn't have the right to console anyone when he himself was losing hope.

Gladio remained silent, his face bore the expression of guilt and sheer hopelessness.

It had been almost a month since Noctis was last dragged away by Ardyn, the chancellor of Niflheim. This had happened right under their watch when they were on the train bound for Tenebrae.

They could only blame themselves for what happened as they let their emotions get the better of them at that time. If only they could put themselves in the prince's position. If only they could understand that he had just lost 2 of his loved ones, his dad and his fiancé, in such a short period of time while his country steadily falls apart. Such tragic events happening one after another, not giving him any time to recover at all or to grieve as he feels his responsibilities towards his nation weighing down on him. He was also trying his best to grasp the fact that he must be king despite his shortcomings. He must be king even if he is so greatly overwhelmed with the feeling of unworthiness that is holding him back.

 _He must be king even if he is afraid._

And yet, in the name of whipping him into a kingly shape, they chose to snap at him, trying to get him to toughen up instead of moping in despair. It's as if they're telling him that it is shameful for a king to shed tears which could only display weakness and that they, speaking on behalf of Lucians, don't need a weak king who can't keep himself together.

But they had forgotten that they too, had ever lost someone dear to them. They had forgotten how much of a wreck they were at that time. They had forgotten that even a king is only human.

 _"_ _You think you're a king. But you're a coward."_

Those words kept replaying in Gladio's head throughout these past few weeks as those were some of the last words he said in anger to Noctis, hurting him and causing him to break away from the group for a while to have some time alone to reflect. And that momentary absence of his Crownsguards presented the perfect opportunity for him to get swooped by Ardyn.

It started with the train suddenly screeching to a halt. Initially, the three Crownsguards simply ignored, preoccupied with their own thoughts until something familiar was spotted outside.

Seated facing towards the rear of the train, Prompto had been looking out the window, absently staring into the distance even after the train had come to a stop. A short while after, he noticed some movements outside from the corner of his eyes which caught his attention. Craning his neck to get a better view, he saw a suspicious ship parked beside the train. Still trying to register what was happening, he suddenly heard some noises coming from one of the cabins at the back.

"Did you hear that? Sounds like a fight breaking out at the back," he asked, turning to Gladio and Ignis.

"Is it?" Gladio casually responded, displaying a willful indifference as he picked up his book to read.

"Yeah maybe? And there's a big ship parked outside...Looks like one from...Nilfl.." Prompto suddenly paused.

"Is it?" Gladio responded again, not bothering that Prompto stopped midway, still maintaining his indifference.

That was when Ignis suddenly stood up, startling Gladio as he looked up from his book.

 _Wait. What? Niflheim?_

Gladio came to his senses, tossing his book aside as he joined Ignis to look out the window.

As they busied themselves wondering why their enemy's forces were there, Prompto asked with concern, "Guys...Where is Noctis?"

Silence filled the cabin for a moment as they looked at each other anxiously, leaving the question hanging.

"Shit…Noctis!" Gladio exclaimed as he broke into a run, shoving people aside as he made his way to the back of the train where the source of noise was coming from. Ignis and Prompto followed closely behind, ignoring the other passengers' stares.

When they had arrived at the scene, all they could see was Noctis being pinned down to the floor, painfully struggling to get Ardyn's hand off his neck.

* * *

Noctis was certainly caught off guard when Ardyn suddenly appeared from behind him and whispered next to his ear.

"My, my, why are you looking so forlorn… _your Highness_?" he asked with his usual demeaning smirk.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Noctis snapped out of his thoughts and turned around quickly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked through gritted teeth as uncontrollable rage filled him. He lunged at the burgundy-haired man almost immediately as he suddenly recalled Luna's last moments and her face, contorted in pain after getting stabbed by the chancellor.

But Ardyn had predicted this and easily side-stepped to avoid his punch, causing the prince to plunge forward and lose his balance as he fell unceremoniously to the floor.

"Woah aren't you feisty… _your Highness_?"

Noctis shot a deadly glare and spat, "You son of a bitch…"

The raven tried to attack again, this time with his sword. He leapt forward, determined to thrust his sword into Ardyn in an attempt to avenge Luna's death. However, Ardyn quickly ducked to evade and caught a hold of the prince's wrist with one hand, successfully stopping his advances. The bigger man then threw a punch with his other hand, smashing into Noctis' chin. Noctis crashed to the floor hard, rolling to the side in pain but before he could even get up, Ardyn firmly grasped at his throat, pinning him down to the floor.

"And here I thought you were eager to see me so I was kind enough to come to you instead. I'm hurt, you know" Ardyn said, frowning mockingly.

"AHH…LE…LET GO! Y…YOU...PIECE OF…SH..SHIT! ARGHHHH…" Noctis winced in pain as he tried to pry the chancellor's hands away from his neck with all his might. He struggled in his grip, kicking in all directions, hoping to break free.

"Now, now, prince, watch your mouth. Didn't your father teach you not to be rude?" Ardyn strengthened his hold on his neck, further restricting the younger man's breathing. He watched in amusement as the raven squirmed under his grip, letting out small ragged gasps as tears started running down his cheeks from the pain.

Somehow, seeing the royal prince at his mercy, crying pathetically and so vulnerable, Ardyn's lips slowly upturned into a malicious grin.

 _This is going to be fun._

"NOCT!" the Crownsguards cried in unison when they arrived and immediately took out their weapons to attack the chancellor but…

Snap.

The clicking sound of a single snap of fingers echoed in the air throughout the cabin as time suddenly froze and everything stopped in motion.

The three Crownsguards fell to the ground in an instant.

That was it.

A snap of his fingers was all it took to immobilize the three. However, as if deliberate, they were kept conscious.

Ardyn inched closer to Noctis' face and whispered, "Look at that Noctis. Your poor friends had fallen and they can't get up." He chuckled menacingly, having fun as he watched the raven struggle violently in protest.

But it was not long before Noctis' face started turning pale and he slowly loses strength.

Ardyn loosened his grip. Upon being released, the prince held his hands up to his neck immediately and hacked violently, taking in large gasps of air as he rolled on the floor, groaning in pain. In between the coughs and with whatever little strength he had left, he tried to draw his sword again but Ardyn stepped on his chest hard to stop him.

"Uh uh…I wouldn't try that if I were you. You do that ONE more time…" the chancellor paused to glance at the 3 Crownsguards before leaning down to grip the raven's face in his hand, forcing him to look into his amber eyes, "and that's the last you see of them dear."

Noctis pried the older man's hand away from his face in frustration before lowering his eyes in defeat. He turned to look at his friends. He could see that they were trying their best to break free from Ardyn's spell. The desperation clearly shown on their faces. He suddenly recalled the fight they had earlier and looking at each of them, he casted a sad smile and muttered under his breath,

 _"_ _I'm sorry…"_

"Take him away." Ardyn commanded the Niflheim guards who were on standby outside the train.

Prompto, Ignis and Gladio could only watch as their prince tried to break free, crying desperately for them.

"IGNIS! LET GO YOU BASTARDS! GLADIO PROMPTO! LET GO!" Panic could be seen in the raven's eyes as he was taken away.

They witnessed as Noctis got led away by the Niflheim guards.

Ardyn was the last to leave, stopping at the doorway to take one last look at the prince's shields on the floor. He smirked at them, doffing his hat while he took a bow before stepping out of the train, humming jovially as he walked away.

But they couldn't move. Couldn't even respond.

So utterly helpless.

It was not until the Niflheim ship that was parked nearby flew off were they then able to move again.

But it was too late.

"Damn it…DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" Gladio punched the wall hard with his bare fists, again and again, so overwhelmed with anger.

Ignis slumped to the floor, simply hanging his head low as he got wrecked with guilt.

And Prompto stared at the sky sadly, watching as the ship disappeared into the distance. He bit his lower lip hard and silently said to himself as he clenched his fists,

 _"_ _The king's shields, huh?"_


	2. I Was King

***Warning*** This chapter contains some non-con and forced age play themes. Not graphic but read at your own risk. It's my first fanfic, can't believe I wrote this.

 **Chapter 2: I Was King**

The atmosphere grew heavy as neither of them spoke for a while, looking despondent as they tried to pull themselves together. They needed to straighten up before they could continue their search for their prince.

They had visited almost every district in Niflheim, searching every military base for any signs of Noctis but unfortunately, their efforts only deemed fruitless.

A sudden succession of rings pierced the air, cutting the silence and jolting them out of their thoughts. Ignis reached into his back pocket to grab his phone, checking the screen before answering.

"Yes Marshal?"

"Head to Gralea immediately. We have a lead on where Ardyn may have kept his Highness." Cor instructed with much urgency in his voice.

"The capital? But that was the first place we went to search. We couldn't find him there. Not any traces at all." Ignis replied, raising a brow as he searched his mind for any places that they may have missed.

"He is in an underground apartment just right below the Zegnautus Keep. It belongs to the chancellor. The main entrance is located next to Altinam Hotel but it's heavily guarded so you have to go by the hotel's basement carpark and take the fire exit staircase all the way to the lowest floor and find a small tunnel which will connect you to the apartment from the back."

Ignis looked at Gladio and Prompto who were both on their toes now, giving them a firm nod of assurance before responding to the marshal, "We're on our way."

Who would have thought to even look underground especially when there's a big floating colossal in the centre of the city, forcefully drawing your attention?

He was about to put his phone down when he heard the marshal calling his name.

"Ignis…"

"Yes?" Ignis listened carefully, expecting further instructions. But what he heard next was even more important. It was just what all of them needed to get back on their feet.

Something that will revive the fire of hope in them.

Ignis kept the phone to his ear for a while even after the line had been cut off before turning to look at the other two.

He smiled and repeated Cor's words,

" _Go get our king back."_

* * *

"Ple-Pleeease.."Noctis begged, looking towards Ardyn as he clutched the bedsheets under him.

"Aww I'm afraid no dear. You always try to run away when I let you go." Ardyn said as he threw a mock-frown to the raven in response.

"I-I..need..to..PLEASE..." Noctis tried again, clear desperation in his voice as tears of frustration glazed his blue eyes.

Donning his signature threatening smile, Ardyn simply replied, "And I said no. Don't test my patience your Highness"

"You bastard…" the raven cursed silently before freezing up shortly after as he realised that an insult had just escaped his lips.

Before he could even attempt to take his words back, he felt an open-handed blow across his face, connecting with his left cheek and snapping his head to the side with the force. Noctis brought his hands to his cheek immediately, clutching his face to try and ease the pain as he looked up at the older man in fear.

"Didn't I tell you before? To watch you mouth...boy" Ardyn's eyes darkened, edging towards the raven.

A foreboding feeling about his upcoming predicament filled Noctis' gut as he quickly shifted backwards on the bed, away from Ardyn.

"I...I-I'm sorry…I-I won't do it again..." Noctis pleaded with his eyes.

He continued shifting backwards until his back met the headboard. Recalling the horror every time he got on the chancellor's bad side, his breathing quickened and his heart thudded in his chest. His blue eyes darted frantically around the room for any way of escape but being chained to the bed, he could only resign to fate.

Ardyn then gripped the younger man's chin causing the raven to flinch at the sudden contact.

"Ah ah…now you leave me with no choice but to punish you." the chancellor said, feigning sympathy.

Noctis widened his eyes in fear as he tried to crawl to the side, away from Ardyn but the burgundy-haired man was fast enough to grab a hold of one of his ankles, pulling him back hard. The raven kicked his leg trying to escape but his ankle was still held fast.

"NO PLEASE! NOT AGAIN! I-I CAN'T" Noctis screamed in protest, knowing what is to come.

But Ardyn ignored his cries, pulling the struggling raven into his lap facedown, adjusting until the younger man's stomach was over his knees.

"Pl-please don't... I-I'll be good..." the raven begged in between sobs.

The chancellor tugged the prince's pants down roughly to expose his buttocks which were still marred by bruises and scars from the previous abuse. He caressed them lightly for a while, feeling Noctis' body tense up.

He hummed a cheerful melody, as if trying to drown the sniffles coming from the younger man.

 _SMACK!_

* * *

"Are we almost there?" Gladio asked, a hint of impatience mixed with concern could be heard in his voice. He had been fidgeting in his seat restlessly throughout the ride, wishing he could get to his prince's side even if it's just a second faster.

 _Are they keeping him in a cell? Are they letting him starve? Are they threatening to kill him?_

These thoughts had been haunting him the past few weeks and many times, he found himself burying his face in his hands, desperately praying that Noctis stays safe.

"I'm going as fast as I can. We're reaching soon." Ignis tried to calm his friend down.

Prompto glanced at Gladio who wore a pained look. He placed a reassuring hand on the bigger man's back, giving him silent empathy.

"Thanks...I just hope he's okay." Gladio sighed in response.

 _Little did he know…  
_

* * *

"Shhh..shh...shhh..there there...it's okay now" Ardyn ran his hands through Noctis' hair, gently stroking his head as he hushed him next to his ear in a sweet voice.

The chancellor could see the younger man's body trembling as hiccupping sobs escaped his lips.

"D-Dad...D-Dad…" he cried out softly, clutching the silk bed sheets under him.

 _Walk tall, my son._

He recalled his father's words in his head as more tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably.

 _I'm sorry Dad... I'm so sorry...I don't know if I can do that anymore. I've tainted the Lucis Line. Please... come back…_

Ardyn looked down at the whimpering raven with much indifference before he rose to his feet to pull his pants back up. He waited for the sobs to die down then wrapped the prince in a blanket and carried him to a nearby couch so that he could get the sheets changed. He then called one of the housemaids to clear the mess as he made his way to the bathroom to get himself cleaned up.

The housemaid did just as she was told, not surprised at the sight she saw, not even stealing a glance towards the figure on the couch. Even though the sheets were stained with blood, semen, sweat, tears and even _pee._

Having been denied to go to the bathroom to relieve himself earlier, Noctis was trying his best to hold his bladder throughout the whole ordeal. But the pain got far too immense some time into the torture that he lost control. He had tried begging for pardon, screaming and screaming through tears, but it all fell to deaf ears. He felt so humiliated when a warm wetness began spreading between his legs, soaking through the sheets. He tried to slow down the stream by clenching his muscles but Ardyn firmly pressed down on his stomach, forcing him to let go quickly, not caring if he got piss all over himself.

"Oh my, it looks like our dear prince is still wetting the bed," Ardyn chuckled teasingly. Noctis brought his hands up, trying to hide the distress shown on his face.

"Aw why are you crying? Don't worry dear, I'm not angry, we can fix that." the chancellor said as he reached over to the side table to get something from the drawers.

Upon seeing what the older man was holding up through blurry eyes, Noctis began shaking his head violently, "No..Y-You can't! I-I don't want that! Please..." renewing his struggles.

"Come on now, don't be stubborn...You do need diapers, don't you?"

Ardyn grabbed a hold of Noctis' ankles with one hand and pulled him downwards harshly to bring him closer. The smaller man tried to wriggle away but Ardyn had kept him in place with a crushing grip on his legs. He lifted the prince's legs easily until his hips were raised high enough to slip a diaper under him. But instead of securing the diaper, he reached for some wipes first. He whistled merrily as he brought Noctis' knees up towards his chest to make it easier before wiping the mess between his crotch thoroughly.

Getting tired and knowing that there was no point in struggling, Noctis simply surrendered himself to the chancellor as he continued sobbing.

After ensuring that the raven's buttocks were clean enough, he gently sprinkled some baby powder and used a clean puff to spread the powder all over, as if trying to conceal the scars and bruises on the skin.

"There! My baby Lucis Caelum is all cleaned up." Ardyn said as he fastened the diaper.

He leaned down to kiss Noctis on his forehead before breaking the chains that were binding him to the bed with his daemonic superior strength. But nothing he did could cease the raven's cries. He was crying so much that his voice had become hoarse and he started choking on air, experiencing a series of breathing spasms. He didn't even have the energy to try to escape anymore.

* * *

"Is that the hotel?" Prompto pointed towards a tall, white cylindrical tower the moment it came into view.

"Maybe." Ignis said as he stepped on the accelerator pedal.

Gladio kept his eyes fixed at the tall building, leaning forward at the edge of his seat, as if it would make the car go any faster.

After driving past a few more buildings, Ignis found a safe spot to park the Regalia, just a short distance away from the Altinam Hotel.

The moment he pulled over, Gladio leapt out of the car, not even bothering with the door handle and started running towards the hotel. Prompto too, was shoving the door open before jumping out and breaking into a light sprint without even closing the door behind him.

Ignis sighed at the other two's impatience, closed the Regalia doors and ensured that it had been securely locked before catching up with them.

"It's this way." Ignis said to them from behind calmly when he saw the two suddenly stopped, looking lost.

Ignis led the way into the hotel's carpark basement, looking out for any potential dangers that may threaten to blow their cover.

"Shit! How much further does these stairs go?" Gladio grunted as he continued running down the seemingly endless stairs, skipping steps as he hurried.

When they finally reached the bottom, they bolted out the fire exit door to find the tunnel that Cor had mentioned over the phone.

"Is that the tunnel?" Prompto exclaimed as he ran towards a small cave-like opening, hidden behind a pillar.

They had to crouch as they move through the narrow tunnel which was especially difficult for Gladio. After about 15 minutes, they finally saw a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

They got out of the tunnel and proceeded with much caution, stopping to hide behind the bushes as they eyed the back door. But they couldn't sense anyone in the vicinity at all.

"Is Noctis really in there?" Prompto asked, a note of concern in his voice. It seemed like there were no signs of life at all. The whole apartment was in darkness, save for a few lights in the backyard outside.

Without responding, Gladio lowered his guard as he calmly got out of the bushes and headed straight to the door, not caring if he may risk bumping into one of the enemy's lackeys. Ever since Noctis was taken away, Gladio had been less vocal and often, he would get lost in his own thoughts from time to time, not aware of his surroundings.

Ignis and Prompto looked at each other, silently questioning Gladio's odd behaviour before they followed after him.

They were expecting the door to be locked but it wasn't. In fact, it was even kept slightly ajar.

Like a form of welcoming gesture…

Gladio was the first to step into the house, searching through the darkness immediately. Prompto followed behind him with much care as he struggled to find his torch. He really hated the dark. Ignis on the other hand, was trying to find the light switches to make the search easier.

At this point, all of them didn't even bother being discreet anymore.

All they wanted was to get their king back.

* * *

Ardyn got out of the bathroom soon after freshening up and changing into a new set of clothes. He approached the trembling frame on the couch to check on him.

By then, the prince had already stopped sobbing. But his eyes were still glassy and bloodshot red from all the crying. Some lingering hiccups could also be heard.

The chancellor bent down to stroke the boy's cheeks lightly with his fingers, purposely rubbing over one of the cuts on his face.

" _Papa_ can't wait to see this baby prince grow up and become king" he said in a honey-laced voice, moving his hands down to shift the blanket before patting Noctis' diapered buttocks lightly.

"Oh, sorry was it grandpapa? Great grandpapa? Granduncle maybe? Great Great Great? Hmmm...how many Greats again?" the chancellor paused the patting, trying to count with his fingers before letting out a small laughter.

He then brought his hand down to the motionless prince's padded buttocks again and continued to pat them repeatedly while humming a soothing tune as if trying to lull him to sleep.

But the raven didn't respond, his eyes still looking distant.

He felt so empty.

He had lost far too much. His dad, his fiancé, his nation, his friends, his pride and...

 _Even his dignity._

Seeing a royal of the Lucis bloodline, so weak and all battered up, Ardyn flashed a smugly smile, feeling pleased as if the broken figure on the couch was his treasured work of art.

He had fun tormenting Noctis in creative ways the past month although to him, this was just a prequel to the main act and does little to get rid of the 2000-year-old grudge that was long overdue as well as the deep-seated hatred he bore for the Lucis bloodline.

Ardyn's hand suddenly seized the patting and he looked out the window. "Ah about time..." he remarked and fished out a pen and a piece of paper from his pocket to scribble something down. He took Noctis' hand and carefully placed the small note in the raven's hand, closing his fingers to secure the paper in place.

He stepped back to admire his work of art again. There were still no signs of movement coming from the boy at all.

 _So broken._

The chancellor adjusted the blanket and whispered next to the prince's ear,

"Faster grow up my little Caelum...and become the _True King_ so I can be at ease…"

He then stood up to leave, walking away with a spring in his step. Stopping at the doorway, he snickered...

 _"_ _If you still can that is."_

* * *

"Doesn't seem like he's on the first floor. It's better to go up." Ignis suggested.

"Yeah...I'll search the third floor. You and Prompto focus on the second floor." Gladio said as he trudged up the stairs.

 _~When... I... was king...~_

As they all walked up the stairs slowly, careful not to trip, Prompto suddenly stopped.

"Did you guys hear that?"

 _~We... had...eve-everything~_

"What? I don't hear anything." Gladio shrugged his shoulders.

 _~Wh-when am I...when am I...gonna start...living?~_

"Listen carefully…" Prompto said as he placed his index finger to his lips.

They all stilled themselves to listen.

 _~When am I... wh-when am I gonna...move on?~_

Gladio sighed, "I still can't-"

"Sh! I hear something" Ignis immediately hushed him as he cupped his right ear.

Prompto started moving up the stairs slowly, still trying to listen hard.

 _~When…am...I...when a-am I...g-gonna kill this feeling?~_

"It's this way!" Ignis went on ahead, leading the other two.

 _~When am I...when am I gonna...st-stop this dreaming?~_

As they got closer towards the source of the sound, they could hear more clearly.

"A song?" Gladio finally could make out what the sound was as they all continued rushing towards the end of the corridor.

This sure was one hell of a long corridor.

 _~Wh-when am I...when am I...gonna start living?~_

"Wait...I...I know this tune!" Prompto exclaimed through his ragged breath, still running.

"It's definitely Noctis." Ignis responded, slowing down as he came to a stop right outside the room situated at the end of the long hallway.

And as if in synchrony, the singing stopped too.

The three of them paused to look at each other...hesitating.

Silence began to grow deafening as neither of them made a move nor sound for a while, freezing up as tension filled the air.

Prompto swallowed hard, bracing himself as Ignis brought his hand to the door handle, opening it slowly.

As the interior of the dark room came into view and all of them had stepped in, they heard a soft somber voice saying,

 _"_ _Yeah...I was king."_

* * *

 **Note:**

This chapter featured lyrics from ONE OK ROCK's song "I Was King". I do not own the song or lyrics. Give it a listen! ;)


	3. The Broken

**Chapter 3: The Broken**

"N-Noct?" Prompto called out, his eyes searching for the source of that voice in the dark room.

Barely able to see anything, they could only depend on the light from outside, seeping through the slightly opened curtains.

"That was his voice right?" the blonde-haired Crownsguard asked his friends, seeking assurance, but the other two just kept quiet.

Sensing a presence, Gladio immediately walked towards what seemed to be a couch, just next to the window. He slowly knelt down beside the furniture.

"Hm? Is that…" Prompto's eyes caught a shadowy figure lying on that couch. He walked over to take a look and squatted next to Gladio. Almost instantly, he found himself smiling and tearing up as relief washed over him.

"W-we f-found him!" Prompto cried out as he turned to Ignis, who was still watching the two from behind. Prompto could recognise his best friend's familiar frame even without seeing his face.

Gladio relaxed his shoulders a little as he felt tension beginning to slip away. However, his face was still plastered with concern and worry as he slowly brought his hand up to the unmoving body.

"Hey..Noct?" he gently shook his shoulder.

But there was no response. The raven just kept still while facing the backrest of the couch, not stirred at the sound of their voices at all. The Crownsguards could only hear his shallow, irregular breathing.

Gladio thought it was weird that Noctis had not noticed their presence even after all the noise they had made searching through that unnervingly quiet house. Worried, Gladio pulled the raven's arm gently to make him turn towards them so that they could see his face.

They were slightly taken aback when they saw that Noctis' eyes were open.

"You're awake? Noct? Hey Noct!" Gladio shook his shoulder again, raising his voice a little as he tried to get him to respond.

That was when a sudden burst of light suddenly poured into the room, shattering the darkness as the curtains were fully opened.

"Woah Ignis! Heads-up next time yeah?" Prompto whined, trying to adjust his eyes to the sudden brightness.

"Yeah sorry...But it wa-'' Ignis stopped short, his voice caught in his throat.

"Wh..?!" Prompto gasped in horror.

Gladio stiffened as his eyes went wide with shock.

All of their eyes were fixated on Noctis now as the painful bruises and cuts on his pale face suddenly became visible to them. His cheeks were tear-stained and his eyes were swollen red and a little glazed.

Suspecting the worst, Ignis inched closer, pulling the blanket down a little to reveal painful claw-like gashes, long red welts, scars, dried scabs and more bruises all over his chest. He took a step back, panic shown across his face as he tried to register the sight before him.

None of them said a word. So many thoughts running through their mind. So many emotions drowning them all at once. So much regret…

Suddenly, a small voice broke the silence, bringing all of them back to their senses.

"D-Dad? Dad...Y-You came back for me?" Noctis said in a weak voice as he slowly brought his right hand to Gladio's face, lightly touching his cheeks as his trembling lips lifted in a subtle smile.

Gladio wore a pained expression as he covered his mouth, fighting to contain his sadness at seeing the state that Noctis was in. Not being able to control his emotions any longer, he quickly stood up and walked away, leaning his head against the wall as he teared up. .

Prompto slowly took Noctis' hand, careful to avoid the bruise on his best friend's wrist, "N-Noct...It's us...We're here for you now…"

Noctis flinched at the sudden contact and shifted backwards in fear. "H-Hey buddy it's okay..It's me…" When Prompto tried to get closer again, Noctis kicked the blanket hard towards him in defense, causing it to fall to the floor, as he moved as far back in the couch as possible.

That was when they saw what Noctis was wearing _…_

"ーck!"

A strangled sound escaped Prompto as he fell backwards, shocked at what was revealed to him.

 _W-What?! W-Wh...Why would..H-HOW DARE TH- WHO!_

Prompto couldn't arrange his thoughts well. He spaced out as his inner voice amplified in his head. His heart was beating faster and he could feel himself breathing harder as panic began kicking in.

 _Noct…_

 _SMASH!_

The sound of wood splintering and glass shattering reverberated around the room.

Gladio just couldn't seem to keep himself together anymore. No words could describe his fury at that moment. He was about to grab another furniture to hurl against the wall again when…

"Stop it! You're scaring him!" Ignis shouted at Gladio.

Noctis was curled up in the couch, hugging his knees and squeezing his eyes tight in fear. His whole body trembled and they could hear him whimpering as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Get a grip both of you!" Ignis said firmly to the two who had both lost themselves in anger.

It was not like he couldn't understand why they acted that way. He himself too was feeling overwhelmed, regretting that he wasn't there in time to protect Noctis from being subjected to such humiliation and terror. He too felt responsible for Noctis being in such a vulnerable state.

He too, was seething.

But right now, they have to get their king back.

Seeing as the other two finally calmed down, Ignis sighed as he walked towards Noctis who was still cowering in fear, "He needs us. Let's get him home, okay?"

Kneeling next to the couch, he calmly called out to the raven, "Noct…"

"N-No…" Noctis softly whimpered. .

"Hey hey it's okay.." Ignis tried to calm him down in a soothing voice, removing his glove and gently touching his head.

Tensing up at the royal advisor's touch, Noctis pleaded, "Pl-please...no more…" as he turned away.

"Noct, look at me." Ignis knew he needed Noctis to look at him to bring him to his senses.

"N-"

Ignis gently cupped his cheeks, cutting him short and forcing him to look up.

"It's Ignis." The royal advisor said as he looked into the raven's eyes, praying he could reach him this time.

Noctis' teary blue eyes were fixated on Ignis' now. But he just kept still.

Not a word. Not a sound.

"It's me." Ignis said again, his lips pulled into a sad smile as he wiped away a stray tear on the raven's cheek with his thumb.

"...nis...Ig...nis...I-Ig...nis..." Noctis slowly called out, his voice cracking with emotion.

Upon hearing this, Prompto and Gladio perked up and quickly rushed to Noctis' side.

"I-Ignis" the raven called out again, breaking into a sob.

Ignis held Noctis' hand against his face, lightly caressing into it as he took a moment to keep his act together.

 _I'm sorry I'm late._

He squeezed Noctis' hand a little tighter, keeping his gaze fixed on Noctis with soft, reassuring eyes.

 _It must have been hard._

He can't help but notice again. The scars, the shivering, the hiccuping sobs, the hoarse voice, the plea in his eyes, the pain across his face. The signs of…

 _I'm really sorry._

Ignis slipped off his black suit jacket and carefully put it on Noctis before wrapping him in the blanket.

 _The broken_.

Struggling to hold back his tears, Ignis finally responded…

"Yes, your Highness..."

Prompto placed a comforting hand on Ignis' shoulder as he glanced at Gladio. Gladio responded with a firm nod, leaning down towards Noctis. He wrapped one arm around the raven's shoulders and the other under his knees, carefully lifting him into his arms.

 _So light._

Noctis tugged feebly at Gladio's leather jacket, seeking comfort as he leaned his head against the bigger man's shoulder. Wrapped in the cocoon of his body warmth, Noctis finally felt safe and protected. He then clutched Gladio's jacket a little tighter, as if afraid to lose him.

After ensuring that Noctis was comfortable in his arms, Gladio stood up again. When he got to his feet, he noticed a white paper falling out of Noctis' hand.

Ignis, who was still kneeling close to the couch, picked it up to check. After spreading the paper to smooth out the wrinkles a little bit, his eyes started moving quickly across the written words. As he read on, he narrowed his eyes, focusing on every line.

And when he finished, he stared blankly at the paper in his hand, lost in his own thoughts.

"What's that?" Prompto asked, curiosity apparent on his face.

Instead of replying, Ignis crushed the paper firmly in his hand, slowly bringing himself back to his feet.

"I guess it's just trash." Prompto shrugged his shoulders, deeming it unimportant, and followed behind Gladio out of the room.

 _SMASH!_

The moment Prompto stepped out of the room, he heard a loud crash behind him, making him spin around quickly.

Ignis had punched the window with his bare fist, breaking the glass into pieces. He slowly unclenched his now bloody fist, letting the crushed paper which he was holding onto earlier fall to the ground outside.

Pausing to collect himself together, he fished out his handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the blood on his knuckles, brushed a few glass fragments on his sleeve away and adjusted his spectacles, before walking towards the door.

That was the first time Prompto and Gladio saw Ignis lose his cool.

Stopping at the doorway, Ignis mumbled to the other two, "Sorry, just needed to get rid of the _trash_."

But they remained silent, watching as Ignis walked past them to the front, once again, leading the way.

 _At times they are red but his eyes are blue,  
_ _I hope you like his new look too.  
_ _A look befitting of a baby king,  
_ _His voice so husky, I made him sing._

 _He loved the toys I gave to him,  
_ _The dress-up too, that's what I think.  
_ _But boy he's sure a naughty one,  
_ _Didn't like the milk of my little son._

 _So I painted him red here and there,  
_ _It's just my way of showing my care.  
_ _Oh yes he'd cry and cry and cry,  
_ _But all he needs is some lullaby._

 _Too bad right now I have to go,  
_ _I gotta prepare for the final show.  
_ _So bring little Caelum to the Crystal soon,  
_ _Tell him daddy is waiting with his heirloom._

 _~ Anonymous Lucis Caelum ~_


	4. You Can

**Chapter 4: You Can**

 _Beep beep._

"How's he doing?" Ignis asked as he unlocked and opened the Regalia's door.

"Not so good. He's running a high fever. But at least he's sound asleep." Gladio answered as he got into the backseat with Noctis in his arms, careful not to stir him awake.

Noctis was still holding onto Gladio's leather jacket although his grip had already slackened by the time they reached the car as the exhaustion from all the crying gave way to sleep. He was sweating a lot with flushed cheeks, his body was slightly shivering and his chapped lips were pale. He looked so fragile at that moment that Gladio was afraid to even shift in his seat.

"W-What...What have I done?" Gladio said as he looked sadly at the figure in his arms. He took Noctis' hand and blew hot breath slowly into it, hoping that it will help him feel less cold.

"Don't beat yourself up. He's safe with us now." Noticing Gladio's pained expression through the rearview mirror, Ignis tried to comfort him. He then glanced to his right and sighed.

"You too." He said to Prompto who was facing the back and had his worried gaze fixed on Noctis, silently praying for his recovery. The blonde-haired Crownsguard nodded in response as he turned to the front to sit properly.

Finally starting the car, Ignis tightened his hands on the wheel and stepped on the accelerator as the feeling of urgency increased. It took his very all to keep a composed face in front of the other two but worry was actually eating away at him.

"Iggy, where are we heading? Noct needs a good rest so I think camping is a bit..." Prompto asked as he reached out to turn on the radio.

The air in the car was gloomy, he thought that they could use some music to lighten up a little.

 _~ And darling, darling stand by me~_

"We'll stay at The Quayside Cradle." Ignis replied.

~ _Oh, stand by me Oh, stand now~_

"Wait, that's too far away. And how do we get across from Altissia? Last I checked, the boats w-"

 _~ Stand by me ~_

"Don't worry, we'll fly over. I got Cindy to upgrade the Regalia for us." Ignis cut Prompto short.

 _~ Whenever you're in trouble ~_

"It uses a lot of fuel so I was only going to use it once we found Noct. But It's too risky to fly now. Let's get out of this wretched place first." he explained, while still keeping his eyes on the road.

 _~ Won't you stand by me? ~_

"Nice!" Prompto exclaimed.

 _As expected of Ignis._

 _~ Oh, stand by me Oh, stand now ~_

Breathing a sigh of relief, Prompto relaxed in his seat, suddenly feeling better as a rush of new optimism filled him.

~ _Stand by me Stand by me ~_

"Oh man, finished? That was my favourite song!" Prompto remarked, frowning a little when an unfamiliar tune replaced his jam.

 _~ You're alone, you're on your own, so what? ~_

He reached out for the tuner but got stopped by Ignis.

 _~ Have you gone blind? ~_

"Wait, leave it on."

 _~ Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours? ~_

"Okay~" Prompto casually replied as he leaned back in his seat.

 _~ Glass half empty, glass half full ~_

And for the next minute, they rode in silence, enjoying the changing scenery and letting the song soothe their troubled minds.

 _~ Well either way you won't be going thirsty ~_

 _~ Count your blessings not your flaws ~_

 _~ You've got it all ~_

 _~ You lost your mind in the sound ~_

 _~ There's so much more ~_

 _~ You can reclaim your crown ~_

 _~ You're in control ~_

 _~ Rid of the monsters inside your head ~_

 _~ Put all your faults to bed ~_

 _~ You can be king again ~_

"Sit properly Prompto. We're gonna fly now." Ignis announced as he changed gears.

 _~ You don't get what all this is about ~_

As the Regalia took off and steadily ascended, Gladio felt a tug on his jacket, drawing his attention to the figure in his arms.

 _~ You're too wrapped up in your self doubt ~_

"Noct?" Gladio gently swept the bangs sticking to Noctis' sweaty forehead, wondering if he was awake.

Without answering, Noctis opened his eyes slowly and held onto Gladio's jacket tighter.

 _~ You've got that young blood, set it free ~_

"He woke up?" Prompto asked as he turned around to check.

"Yeah seems like it…" Gladio responded as he placed a comforting hand on the raven's head, slowly stroking his hair hoping that it will coax him back to sleep.

~ _You've got it all ~_

"We'll be there soon Noct. Just get some rest first." Ignis said as he navigated the Regalia skillfully through the air.

 _~ You lost your mind in the sound ~_

"Can...I?" Noctis muttered under his breath as he buried his face against Gladio's jacket.

 _~ There's so much more ~_

"Noct? What's wrong?" Gladio held onto Noctis' hand, concerned when he heard sniffles coming from the raven.

 _~ You can reclaim your crown ~_

In a broken voice, Noctis asked again, this time a little louder, "C-Can...I?"

 _~ You're in control ~_

"What's wrong buddy?" Prompto furrowed his brows in worry as he watched Noctis, wondering if his best friend was okay.

 _~ Rid of the monsters inside your head ~_

Gladio panicked a little when he saw Noctis' shoulders heaving as he heard quiet sobs escaping from the trembling frame in his arms. He wrapped his arms around the raven's frail body and pulled him a little closer, cradling him like a precious child and hoping that he feel better soon.

 _~ Put all your faults to bed ~_

"You can, Noct." Ignis suddenly said in a reassuring voice as he watched Noctis through the rearview mirror.

 _ **~ You can be king ~**_

"You can."

And Noctis sobbed open and unashamed through the rest of the song, and they found themselves riding in silence again, save for the music in the background, all the way, until the familiar scenery of Galdin Quay came into view...

* * *

Gladio became uneasy when he noticed Noctis having difficulties breathing. His breaths were rapid and shallow, his body temperature was getting higher and colour had completely drained from his face. "T-This is bad...I think we need to bring him to the doctor."

"No!" Ignis suddenly exclaimed, his voice a little high pitched than he intended.

Prompto and Gladio was surprised at this sudden outburst which was unlike his usual calm demeanor.

"Sorry, didn't mean to...I mean..I don't think he wants that. It seems like..the damage may be w-worse than what we imagined." Ignis tried to explain, searching for the right words as he looked down at the floor.

 _Worse?_

Gladio and Prompto wanted to ask but for a brief moment, they caught a glimpse of Ignis' dark face before he turned around, walking towards the front desk to get themselves checked in and not wanting to be questioned further.

When Ignis returned, he handed the keycard to Prompto. "You guys head up first. I just need to go out to get some medication and food for us."

"No, I think you should go up first Iggy and take care of Noct. Leave the shopping to us." Prompto suggested.

"Yeah, go rest first, you look like shit." Gladio agreed, ignoring Ignis when he shot him a warning glare.

"Too…" Prompto quickly added and laughed nervously as he suddenly recalled Ignis' dark face a minute ago.

Ignis gave a resigned sigh. "Fine. Here's the list. Don't mess up and _please_ get the right potions."

Before Prompto could even reach for the folded paper, Ignis pulled his hand back.

"And guys...once you see this...you may get an idea of what ' _worse_ ' means. Please cool your heads before you come back. Just remember...Noct needs us right now."

Prompto swallowed hard, preparing himself for the _worst_ as he took the paper from Ignis.

Gladio's heart grew heavy as he glanced down at Noctis worriedly before passing him into Ignis' outreached arms.

* * *

"Take...it o-out..." Noctis dug his nails into the sheets below him, trying to endure the agony he was being put through as he pleadingly looked into his captor's eyes, searching for any glimpse of sympathy at all.

But what he got was a sneer instead.

"Now, now, little one…You don't like the toy I gave you?" Ardyn snickered as his fingers lightly stroked the raven's bruised cheek, his thumb running across his swollen lips.

The burgundy-haired man was smiling but his eyes were cold. So cold that Noctis shuddered as he suddenly got reminded of how ruthless this man can get.

It wasn't like he had not tried putting up a fight. He screamed, struggled, punched, kicked, swore, spat. Everything. But Ardyn always managed to crush his pathetic attempts to escape, break and reduce him to nothing every time. The chancellor would initially play along with his protests, wearing his signature mocking smile on his smug face as he watched the raven struggle to break free. And then, like a totally different person, he would suddenly turn cold and all hell break loose. It was scary for Noctis every time but he kept trying and trying.

Until one night.

That was the night he had decided not to try anymore. He gave up all hope and succumbed to fate. Because the pain at that time, was far too unbearable and he couldn't afford to relive that nightmare again. It was more than he could take.

"Impressive! Look at how it's moving dear…it's like it has a life of its own." the chancellor remarked chirpily. "I'm almost jealous." he smirked as he pushed the aneros deeper into the raven, drawing a loud moan from him.

It was then when Noctis felt a familiar warmth spreading through his abdomen and suddenly, his muscles started contracting uncontrollably, more intense than ever before.

"Hngh...weird!...ahn…feels aahh...weird" Noctis was squirming, his hands gripping the sheets tightly. His eyes darted around quickly, panicked as he felt this strange whirlpools of sensation swirling inside him.

"nnn...ahh...scared...please...scared!" Noctis begged incoherently as he reached for Ardyn's arm.

 _W-What's this? I'm so scared!_

He started bucking his hips rhythmically as he felt the rising tide of pleasure swelling inside him. Not knowing what was happening to him, he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop his body from shaking. It was like his body was being controlled and he was so afraid. So afraid that tears started leaking through his closed eyes. He can't help himself as he continued thrusting his hips into the air. Ardyn chuckled and leaned down to whisper into the raven's ear.

"Dance for me." he commanded.

And like a spell, Noctis' eyes immediately flipped open and his mouth contorted in an inaudible scream as his body suddenly went into a multitude of powerful convulsions. He writhed and thrashed wildly on the bed as orgasm ripped through him, shaking him to his core. He clawed at the sheets desperately trying to hold himself together but his body just kept jerking forward and shaking uncontrollably. Just when he thought it was finally slowing down, Ardyn suddenly moved the aneros inside him, purposely pushing it into his sweet spot again and again, subjecting him to another round of strong spasmodic contractions. It was like Ardyn was a maestro, orchestrating a symphony inside that poor boy with the aneros, his conducting baton, forcing him to dance against his will.

"Aah...AH! Ung, ung, ughh S-STOP! AHHHH!" Noctis was reduced to a sobbing mess, half gasping and half screaming at the overstimulation.

Ardyn licked his lips, and groaned, "Mmmnn...that's it baby. Scream for me." He took a moment to relish himself in the raven's delectable screams before leaning down to take the boy's lips.

"Mmmphh! Hmmm..mmnnnnnn...umphhh!" Noctis screamed into the kiss, trying to push the older man away with his weak arms. But Ardyn pressed his lips harder against the raven's mouth and deepened the kiss, eliciting deep moans and whimpers from him. The muffled sounds escaping the boy was driving Ardyn senseless. So much so that he couldn't help but roll his eyes back in ecstasy as he pushed his tongue hungrily into Noctis' mouth, exploring the deep cavern and making sure to absorb every reluctant moan into his mouth, devouring him whole.

Suddenly, an intense pleasure took over Noctis as his whole body tensed and he came hard, squirting all over himself. But then, he started panicking again when it wouldn't stop. Rolling with sensations, he kept squirting like a jet stream.

 _It's not s-stopping!_

Ardyn briefly broke the kiss and muttered to the raven, "It's okay. Let it all out." Aroused by his deep voice, Noctis came another time and again, it simply gushed out just like…

Ardyn let out a small chuckle before returning to their kiss, not caring that both of them had become drenched.

 _A girl._

Having his lust quenched with that long heated kiss, he finally released Noctis from his torment, carefully pulling the aneros out of the boy. Noctis collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily and still reeling from the climax. His body was still convulsing from the aftershocks of his orgasm, sending hard and strong shudders throughout his body before it eventually diminishes to gentle shivers.

With his hair tousled and his cheeks flustered, Noctis looked up at Ardyn and begged in between sobs, "fwahh...S-Stop *hic* haaa..n-no more *hic* please..."

"Aww I'm sorry my little prince...Shhhh….don't cry." Ardyn comforted the raven, wiping his drool and tears away. "I'll give you plenty of love in the bath, okay?" the chancellor calmly said as he carried Noctis in his arms before walking towards the bathroom.

"B-Bath? N-NO!"

 _Noct?_

"NO MORE PLEASE!"

 _Noct!_

" _NO!"_

* * *

"Noct!"

"AAHHH!" Noctis jolted awake, a scream tearing from his throat. His heart was thumping hard and sweat was pouring down his face. Although he was staring right up at Ignis, his racing mind couldn't register the familiar face at all. One thing he realised was that he was on a bed again and panic engulfed him completely as he started to hear Ardyn's voice echoing in his head.

 _Dance for me._ _That's it baby._

"Noct! Hey hey! It's okay! Shhh...It's alright now." Ignis gently pulled the quivering raven into a hug, rubbing his back as he tried to calm him down, hoping to bring him back to his senses.

 _Scream for me._ _My little prince._

"It's alright now. I'm with you." Ignis cooed in a soft, soothing voice.

 _My baby Lucis Caelum._

The warmth of Ignis' embrace enveloped the raven, gradually melting his fears away and calming him down, little by little. Holding the raven close, the familiar scent of Ignis' cologne slowly woke the raven's senses.

 _It's alright now. It's alright now. It's alright now._

Ignis repeated those words like a chant over and over as he held Noctis close to him. Muscle by muscle, Noctis allowed himself to relax in the safety of Ignis' arms, returning the hug as he steadied his breathing. Those words seem to work their magic as slowly, Ardyn's voice, which was occupying the raven's head, started fading away, replaced by his royal advisor's gentle voice.

"It's alright now."

Relief flooded Noctis as he softly cried out in a hoarse voice...

"I-Ig...Ignis."

* * *

 **Note:**

This chapter featured lyrics from Florence + The Machine's "Stand By Me" and Lauren Aquilina's "King". I do not own the songs or lyrics.


End file.
